How to Create a Vision Board To Muster Up Courage

If the idea of going for your dreams sounds discomforting to you, and if you find yourself breaking out in a sweat, turning ashen white or if simply want to run away from the feeling of discomfort altogether, you are not alone.

If you have the desire to go for your dreams but face difficulties because of fear, consider making a vision board. If you are hoping to be a world-class speaker, a best-selling author or simply want to speak up for your values a vision board can be an excellent tool to help you overcome your fear and to bring your dreams forward.

A Personal Experience

Making a vision board has helped me address my initial resistances with "stepping up." There was a time when I was working on the vision of a more empowering picture of my future self.

While I was pasting some pictures onto my board to reflect this vision, I was mentally visualizing myself confidently standing on a platform and giving powerful presentations when all of a sudden, my fingers froze. Even though I tried hard, my fingers simply refused to budge.

I was forced to take a break since I was not able to proceed with pasting the remaining pictures onto my board. I sat back to analyze what was holding me back. It dawned on me that the thought of playing it big scared me. I did not welcome the idea that stepping up could mean more responsibility and the possibility of having to do more work. For a while, it felt “safe” to play small.

I began to weigh the pros and cons on whether or not to pursue my vision. My internal debate went on for some time. Finally, I decided that going forward appealed more to me.

Tired of feeling stuck, I did some emotional release work and eventually, I completed my vision board.

Transforming Fear

I know. It sounds scary. There is the fear of rocking the boat. There is the projected fear of rejection by others because they may not accept the new “you”. There is the fear that you may fail to attain your vision. The consequence of failure may be public shaming that you can vividly imagine.

As you know, fears are mostly psychological. They are, therefore, not real. You can choose to focus on the fear or you can choose to focus on a picture of success.

If you choose to focus on the fear, you are more likely to fail. You will find it hard to move confidently in the direction of your dreams. Buddha once said, “What you think, you become.” On the other hand, if you choose to focus on positive thoughts, you are more likely to be successful.

Participants in my vision board workshops often express the need to "step up" in order to go for their dreams. The energy they hope to align with includes “boldness” or “courage. The participants choose pictures for their vision boards that will remind them to have courage. You can do the same too.

Steps to Making Your Vision Work For You

1. Make a vision board for your future self.

2. On your board, include a picture that will help you align with courage or boldness. Ideas for such a picture include the image of a powerful tiger, a lion or a confident-looking role model. Whatever this image is, you must be able to make a connection with it.

3. Complete your vision board.

4. Next, visualize yourself stepping into the picture of this image.

5. Visualize yourself as if you are this picture…powerful, energized and confident. Connect with the strong emotions of “being” this future self. Use your senses as much as possible.

7. Seal the energy by creating an anchor, with the tip of your thumb touching your first or second finger firmly.

8. End your visualization.

Anytime when you feel a little nervous, “fire” off your anchor by making the same sign: tip of your thumb firmly touching your first or second finger.

Inspirational Quote to Remind Yourself“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

– Marianne Williamson, a Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles

All the best!

About the Author

Evelyn Lim is dedicated to the vision of inspiring heart-centered living. She helps others gain inner power through loving themselves and loving their lives. A life coach, energy therapist and intuitive consultant, she assists her clients with shifting into higher vibrational states internally for a more positive outer experience of abundance.

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Thank you, Tess, for featuring my guest post. I appreciate your support very much 🙂

With love,
Evelyn

TessAugust 30, 2012, 6:01 am

Hi Evelyn!
You’ve inspired me to make a vision board of my own. I haven’t made one since we sold our home in 2007. I took a photo of our house and a photo of a “sold” sign. I placed it on our fireplace mantel. Anytime hubs or I had doubts we only had to “believe” and “feel.” Thanks for the inspiration. xo

Thank you Evelyn! I’ve always wanted to make a vision board. I’m needing a little inspiration and I think a vision board would be just the thing for me to do. Thank you, Tess, for having such a great guest post!

I’ve used vision boards for many years now, but I needed this nudge to update it ~ it’s been a while. Thank you Tess and Evelyn…exactly the reminder I needed with some great extra ideas for good measure!

I love this idea, I think it could work for me and I’m going to start one for myself.
Could you please tell me more about the emotional release work you did? I sometimes get stuck as well, issues from a painful childhood, so could you elaborate on that?

I need to update my vision board as well. I did mine, by setting goals for myself and so happily I’m ready to update. Did you mention in another post about a Vision Board App that you’ve used on the ipad? If so, can you mention which one you use? Thanks – great post!

I use an iphone app for a period but found it limiting. I prefer to make one using magazine pictures or even digitally and then download to my iphone and ipad.

With thanks,
Evelyn

Shankar VaitheswarAugust 31, 2012, 4:40 am

Hi Tess & Evelyn!

Thank you so much for the wonderful inspiration. Instead of being lost in our own thinking, it looks a bright idea to create our Vision Board; that could make us realize the awareness behind it. Awareness always takes over from over thinking.

If at all you both may prefer to drag this subject a bit more with the same enthusiasm, I’ll humbly request you to share a picture of a VISION BOARD, that will make it ALIVE.
Be safe and blessed.

How perfect to invite Evelyn to guest post going into Labor Day Weekend ….emotionally, it’s the start of a new season. I think it’s a terrific time to do a Vision Board.
Evelyn….as you already know, I’m a big fan of your work and have used your Life Vision Mastery Course….and love it.
I’m planning to create a Vision Board before the end of the September. I am going on a trip to the Amazon Rainforest in October/November to learn from an indigenous tribe about the rainforest. We will be with shamans and doing dream work. It should be awesome.
So…when I come back, I plan on doing a post-trip Vision Board to ‘see’ where my soul, dreams, etc…have landed.
Thank you for all of the fabulous work you’re doing. With gratitude-Fran

Hi Evelyn & Tess:
I keep a vision board in my kitchen. At this time it only has my contest entries for trips. I really need a vacation 🙂

I like what you said about working on your resistance and visualizing yourself stepping into the image you have created. You can put anything on your vision board, but if you don’t believe it will manifest, it never will.

I still remember that powerful clip from John Assaraf in The Secret. Where he is unpacking a box after a move into his dream home. Inside is a vision board that he created many years ago. On it is a picture of the exact same house he just moved into.
– Wendy

NaySeptember 1, 2012, 6:27 pm

Evelyn and Tess,

Such a great post. So awesome to see my feelings so perfectly reflected by someone else. The lines below say them exactly:

‘…the thought of playing it big scared me. I did not welcome the idea that stepping up could mean more responsibility and the possibility of having to do more work. …it felt “safe” to play small. ,,,rocking the boat…rejection by others…fear of failure.’

The idea of committing to something bigger, something that may require more work, and all the fear that comes with a decision like that!!!!

But as you said, maybe I should weigh the pros and cons and see how I really feel, without the fears bogging me down.

I absolutely love that Marianne Williamson quote – I have it as a Post It on my desk! I’ve so often thought about creating a vision board, but never got around to it. Your post has inspired me to stop procrastinating and get on and do it!

Thanks for the inspiring post, I love vision boards, it’s one of my favorite creative activities. I use it also as a meditation and of course to focus on my dreams and desire. I love the part about transforming the fear and to make a vision board for my future self. I will do this when I make my next one.